The Ultimate Choice
by BadWolfTen
Summary: After the war, Hermione is tired and Draco is regretful. What happens when they meet? ONESHOT I own nothing of Harry Potter. I'm just a fan who likes to write. This is my first fanfic so please review and don't be mean!:D


Hermione Granger absentmindedly pushed past a group of overexcited first-years. As Head girl, she was really supposed to be showing them the way to the Griffindor common room, but she left it to Ginny instead. Before the war, Hermione would have leaped at the chance to be a role model for the younger students, but now, especially without Harry and Ron, it had lost its appeal.

When Hermione was staying at The Burrow over the summer break, owls had arrived to Harry, Ron and herself offering for them to retake seventh year. Or rather, begin the year they had never started. Harry had declined the offer as he had a position offered to him as an auror at the Ministry of Magic. When Kingsley Shacklebolt had taken over the Ministry, Harry was immediately given a place as head auror. Ron followed Harry into the ministry as an auror as well. So why should they go back to Hogwarts? So now, Hermione's only proper friend at Hogwarts was Ginny Weasely.

Hermione unpacked her trunk without much thought, unusual because she normally took so much care into organising her area. Without thinking, she slowly strolled to the library, where she felt most comfortable. This was the place where she went when she felt upset, and where she could read for knowledge, or simply for pleasure. There was no need to entertain the petty fancies that other girls had. She could sit there and read and read and read.

After finding several books she thought looked appealing and brought them to a table, she started reading. She was several chapters in when she felt that someone was watching her. It made her itch, so she looked up.

Hermione's stomach wrenched when she realised who was watching her. It was Draco Malfoy, standing by the closest bookshelf. She immediately looked down, not wanting to acknowledge his presence. A deep pit formed in her chest with guilt. Why didn't she want to acknowledge his presence? He had suffered just as much as she did during the war. He may have been on the other side, though not by choice. He lived under the same roof as Voldemort, which must have been terrifying. He saw the undoing of his idol and father, Lucius Malfoy. And he also watched Bellatrix Lestrange carve an unspeakable word into Hermione's own arm. He watched her scream as she was tortured, and he couldn't do anything about it. That must have been terrible for him.

She looked up again. "You can sit down, you know."

Hermione expected some response along the lines of: "I don't take offers from mudbloods like you." Or something like that. But instead, Draco surprise her by taking the offer and sitting down in the chair next to her.

He opened his mouth, then shut it again. Then he opened it once more and asked, "Does it still hurt?"

Hermione frowned. What did he mean?

Draco gestured to her arm, meaning the cuts that Bellatrix had imprinted into her. A single tear rolled down his face.

Hermione put on a brave smile. "No, it doesn't. I hardly even think about it anymore."

Draco tentatively reached out to her arm and wound the sleeve up. The word 'mudblood' was bright red, and it still looked fresh, though the incident had occurred nearly a year ago. He covered it with his hand. His warm hand, Hermione noticed. Another tear rolled down his face.

She didn't know what prompted her to do it, but she reached her own hand out and took the tear from his face. Then she put her hand on top of Draco's.

"Will you," Draco's voice croaked. "Ever be able to forgive me?"

Lifting her other hand up, Hermione cupped it around Draco's neck and pulled him close to her face. "I forgive you, without a shadow of a doubt." She whispered, before pressing her lips against his. Draco seemed surprised at first, but then he relaxed and kissed her back.

For most of the time that she knew him, Hermione hated Draco. He was the one that made her cry the most, save Ron, who broke her heart in the summer. But right now, Hermione forgot all that Draco had done. Because now, right now, he had asked for forgiveness. He was sorry for what he had done. And she knew that it wasn't just for standing by as she was being tortured. It was for every time that he had insulted her, or made a face at her. For everything he had done wrong. He had made bad choices in the past, but today, he made the ultimate choice.

**A/N: This is my first fanfic so please review and don't be mean:D I hope you enjoyed it. If you want me to write longer fanfics, please let me know!**


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